Ovechkin scores four to beat Tampa

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT:The Caps came from behind in the 6-5 win, to put league-leader Ovechkin’s total at 26 goals, while the Kings routed the Canadiens 6-0

AP, WASHINGTON

Alex Ovechkin scored four goals, including the equalizer with 32.4 seconds left in regulation, as the Washington Capitals rallied to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-5 in a shootout Tuesday night.

Ovechkin increased his NHL-leading total to 26 goals and became Washington’s career leader in power-play goals, scoring twice with the extra man to pass Peter Bondra, who had 137.

Nicklas Backstrom had a goal and four assists, and Troy Brouwer beat Tampa Bay goalie Ben Bishop in the fifth round of the shootout to provide the Capitals with their fifth win in six games.

Martin St. Louis and Tyler Johnson each had a goal and two assists for the Lightning, who squandered a three-goal lead in losing their sixth straight at Washington.

Ondrej Palat scored on a wrist shot between the circles after taking Johnson’s centering pass from behind the net to put Tampa Bay up 5-4 at 8 minutes, 36 seconds of the third period.

It appeared that would hold up, until Ovechkin scored from the left circle after Washington pulled goalie Philipp Grubauer.

PANTHERS 3, RED WINGS 2, SO

In Sunrise, Florida, Brad Boyes scored the winning goal in a shootout to lift Florida over Detroit.

Aleksander Barkov also scored in the tiebreaker for Florida, who have won three of four overall and two in a row against the Red Wings.

Tomas Tatar scored for Detroit in the shootout, but Tim Thomas stopped shots by Daniel Alfredsson and Gustav Nyquist.

Nick Bjugstad and Sean Bergenheim had goals in regulation for Florida. Thomas made 24 saves.

Pavel Datsyuk and Todd Bertuzzi scored for the Red Wings. Jimmy Howard made 25 saves and Johan Franzen had two assists.

KINGS 6, CANADIENS 0

In Montreal, Rookie goalie Martin Jones made 31 saves for his second shutout in two games, and six Los Angeles players scored against Montreal.

Jordan Nolan, Anze Kopitar, Alec Martinez, Tyler Toffoli, Jake Muzzin and Justin Williams had the goals for the Kings, who won their fourth straight.

Carey Price made 12 saves on 16 shots for the Canadiens before being replaced by Peter Budaj, who stopped 12 of 14 shots. The loss snapped Montreal’s 10-game point streak dating to Nov. 16.

PREDATORS 4, RANGERS 1

In New York, Nick Spaling and Rich Clune scored first-period goals, and seldom-used backup Carter Hutton made 28 saves as Nashville snapped a five-game losing streak by beating New York.

Hutton (5-3-1) made his first start since Nov. 10 and his third appearance in that span as the Predators try to get by, while Pekka Rinne (hip) is out. Marek Mazanec went 0-4-1 in the previous five games.

Matt Hendricks made it 3-1 just 2:38 into the third, knocking in a loose puck from in front, with Clune earning an assist.

Paul Gaustad scored an empty-net goal with 1:06 left and added two assists.

Rick Nash cut New York’s deficit in half in the second period and Henrik Lundqvist stopped 22 shots, but the Rangers fell to 0-2-1 on their nine-game homestand.

They have dropped four straight at Madison Square Garden (0-3-1).

ISLANDERS 3, SHARKS 2, SO

In San Jose, California, Kyle Okposo scored the tying goal with 1:37 left in regulation and got the game-winner in the fourth round of a shootout to help New York snap a 10-game losing streak with a victory over San Jose.

Thomas Vanek also scored in regulation and the shootout for the Islanders. Kevin Poulin made 46 saves and was outstanding early to keep the Islanders in the game until they broke through with two third-period goals.